Comparing The Three Essays...

To me, the biggest difference between the essays by Mike Rose, Benjamin Franklin, and Malcolm X is the voice/tone of the essays. They all tell a story of how they learned to do something significant to their own lives. But Malcolm X’s essay was pure passion. Benjamin Franklin’s was a bit harder to read both in the language of the time as well as the interest level. It just didn’t draw my attention in the same way. And Mike Rose’s essay was both informative AND interesting, but it was more of a slam against his previous teachers. (Even though they deserved to be slammed).

Malcolm X described his experience in an extremely positive light, and he illustrated the struggle that he went through in his quest for knowledge. His essay was an inspiration. Benjamin Franklin spoke more about what was expected of him, and the process of his learning experience. His was definitely more informative than anything. And Mike Rose’s essay was really more of a reflection. It was something that he analyzed, though it was years after the fact, and used as a way to reach out to others who may have dealt with the same abysmal educational experience.

All three of these essays are very similar in the sense that they tell a story about a learned experience. But they differ greatly in the voice and tone. One is passionate, one is neutral, and one is almost angry. And in my opinion, it is the voice of the paper that speaks volumes and will engage the readers.